Market-driven conservation in action

Ecuador is a tuna powerhouse, producing 45% of the Eastern Pacific’s tuna catch and ranking second globally in canned tuna processing. Tuna exports average $1.3 billion annually, representing 5% of Ecuador's non-oil GDP. The industry accounts for 25,000 direct jobs and 250,000 indirect jobs, making it a critical sector for a small country with a modest economy.

By the early 2010s, however, the sector faced significant risks. Overfishing, fueled by strong global demand for tuna products, combined with a slow and fragmented fisheries management system and insufficient regulatory policies, threatened not only biodiversity, but also food security, livelihoods, and a key component of the nation’s economy.

Eastern Pacific stocks of yellowfin and bigeye were showing signs of overexploitation, driven by intense fishing pressure and high mortality of undersized fish with fish aggregating devices (FADs).

Recognizing the need for change, WWF began working with Ecuador’s tuna sector in 2009 to improve fisheries management. However, initial efforts to launch a national Fishery Improvement Project stalled due to limited industry buy-in, misaligned and short-sighted political priorities, and near-term economic interests of certain groups. Another important lesson learned early on was that engaging the entire Ecuadorian tuna industry—represented by 33 boat owners—was not feasible.

To address this, WWF stepped in as a trusted convener, partnering with a small group of Ecuador’s most visionary tuna companies. These industry leaders not only saw that conservation was vital to securing their businesses and family legacies but also understood the dynamics of global markets. Starting with three recognized and influential boat owners made it easier to build trust, establish dialogue, and reach the initial agreements that laid the foundation for TUNACONS.

At the same time, external drivers were accelerating the need for change. Rising global demand for sustainable seafood, coupled with the 2009 launch of the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation’s (ISSF), supported by WWF, and its efforts to engage tuna companies and producers, created additional pressure for the industry to adopt more sustainable practices. By promoting science-based management, ISSF further pushed the tuna sector toward greater sustainability. Together, these market and sectoral incentives complemented WWF’s convening strategy, creating the conditions necessary for meaningful reform.

In 2015, WWF Ecuador signed a cooperation agreement with NIRSA, Eurofish, and the Jadran Group to launch a Fishery Improvement Project. Shortly, two more companies joined the agreement—Servigrup and Trimarine. In 2016, these industry pioneers formed TUNACONS with clear goals: to maximize the sustainable yield of tropical tuna stocks through scientific research, to provide technical training to improve the performance of the tuna fishing industry, and to support efforts to reduce environmental impacts on marine ecosystems. Together, they demonstrated how aligning science, market demand, and sustainability incentives could drive real change across the supply chain. Their leadership, and the participation of several large tuna companies, encouraged broader industry—including smaller-scale fishing outlets—and government engagement in Ecuador, paving the way for science-based reforms nationally and regionally.

A clear example of regional political influence came in 2016, when the IATTC finally adopted provisional harvest control rules for tropical tunas—after several consecutive years of recommendations from its scientific staff that had gone unheeded by member countries. Through the TUNACONS Fishery Improvement Project, supported by WWF, the group successfully persuaded Ecuador’s Vice Minister of Fisheries to champion the measure as a national proposal. Following negotiations, the commission adopted Ecuador’s proposal, which incorporated the scientific recommendations, marking a breakthrough achievement driven by industry leadership.

As of 2022, TUNACONS became an independent foundation. And today, TUNACONS includes 11 companies managing 58 vessels, with 100% of their fisheries now certified by the Marine Stewardship Council. The initiative has reduced bycatch, strengthened fisheries management, and elevated Ecuador as a regional leader in responsible tuna management—proving that conservation and commerce can thrive together when built on trust, science, incentives and shared commitment to a sustainable future.

While the TUNACONS FIP has made significant strides in Ecuador, the EU issued a yellow card warning to the country in 2019, underscoring that persistent challenges remain in the fishing and processing sectors.  This warning highlighted the ongoing need for strengthened efforts to combat illegal fishing and address broader governance and traceability issues that continue to affect the tuna industry and other commodities produced in the region.

At WWF, we believe solutions to challenges like overfishing can and must be found through practical actions and constructive dialogue with fishing companies, communities, scientists, and governments. Tools such as Fishery Improvement Projects embody this approach—combining sound science, practical economics, and social awareness to deliver results. Still, TUNACONS remains a powerful example of how aligning business incentives with conservation goals can drive sector-wide change. This trust-based, market-driven model demonstrates how WWF is achieving conservation success today—and offers a blueprint to replicate in other tuna fisheries around the world that are earlier in their sustainability journeys.